Fence



(No Model.)

' J. C. FERRIS.

FENCE.

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ANDREW BSRANAM. PHOTO'LITHGWASN INGTN. DL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOI-IN O, FERRIS, OF MILLVILLE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JEFFERSON F. LEONARD, OF ALBION, NEW YORK.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,119, dated November 5, 1895.

Application filed December 20, 1894. Serial No. 532,458. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. FEERIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Millville, in the county of Orleans and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Fence, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in fences.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire fences and to provide one possessing great strength and durability and capable of being readily and cheaply manufactured.

A further object of the invention is to enable vertical stays to be securely fastened to horizontal fence-wires and to prevent any vertical movement of the latter on the stay.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a portion of a fence constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of one of the stays. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view illustrating` the connection between a stay and a horizontal fence-wire. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a portion of the fence.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures of the drawings.

l designates a fence-stay secured vertically to a series of horizontal fence-wires 2 and arranged at suitable intervals to support and stiffen the fence.

The stay consists of a straight rod 3, preferably constructed of stout wire or similar material, and a spirally-coiled wire 4, disposed on the stay and extending the entire length of the same and forming at short intervals shoulders adapted to engage the fencewires to prevent any upward movement of the fence-wires on the stay. The spirallycoiled wire 4 forms these shoulders or stops at very short intervals to enable the fencewires to be arranged at any desired interval.

The stay is secured to each fence-wire by a wire-tie 5, having a central portion located between two of the shoulders or stops formed by the spirally-coiled wire 4, and this central portionof the tie confines the stay between it and the fence-wire. The tie 5 is horizontally disposed and the portion confining the stay is spirally coiled and interlocks with the shoulders or stops formed by the wire 4. The terminals of the tie are coiled around the fence-wire to form eyes 6, which are located at opposite sides of the stay. The ends of the stay are bent around the top and bottom fence-wires and prevent any turning or twisting of the stay.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, the hookedrends ofthe stay for preventing the latter from rotating and unscrewing itself from the ties are formed before the stay is applied to the fence. If the stay were free to rotate, the spiral wire might operate as a thread and facilitate accidental displacement.

By this construction the fence-wires are firmly secured to the stay and are prevented from moving vertically on the same, and the construction also permits the fence-wires to' be arranged at any desired interval, as the shoulders or stops of the stay are located at short intervals.

It will also be seen that a fence possessing great strength and durability may be quickly, conveniently, and cheaply manufactured, and that the stays may be readily removed wit-hout injury to themselves or to the strands of wire forming the fence. v

Changes in the form7 proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the' advantages of this invention.

I/Vhat I claim isl. In a fence, the combination of horizontal fence wires, a vertical stay comprising a heavy wire or rod provided at its terminals with hooks receiving and engaging the top and bottom fence Wires, to lock the stay against rotation, and thus prevent the same from unscrewing, and a spirally coiled wire wound around the heavy wire or rod and forming a series of shoulders or stops arranged at intervals and receiving and engaging the fence wires, and the wire ties each composed of a single piece of wire and disposed hori- IOI) zontally, and provided with opposite coils embracing the fence wire, and loeated at each side of the stay, said tie being sigmoidally curved and spirally bent between the eyes and engaging and fitting between adjacent shoulders or stops formed by the spirally coiled Wire of the stay, whereby the latter is securely locked against accident-al movement, substantially as described.

2. In a fence, the combination of longitudinal fence Wires, a vertical stay comprising a heavy Wire or rod, and a spirally coiled Wire Wound around the heavy Wire or rod and forming by such coiling a series of shoulders or 

